Learn About Proteins
Proteins are amazing molecules that do nearly everything inside your body. They build your muscles, fight germs, carry signals, and even help you digest food. On this page, you’ll learn what proteins are, how they fold, and why that matters.
If you’re new to proteins, this guide is the perfect place to start. It explains what proteins are made of (amino acids), how they’re built, and how scientists figure out what they look like using powerful tools like X-ray crystallography.
Click below to learn more about what a protein is from the RCSB Protein Data Bank 101:
Watch a video below to learn more about the relationship between protein structure and function from the RCSB Protein Data Bank 101:
Each protein is made of a chain of building blocks called amino acids. The way this chain folds into a 3D shape determines what the protein can do. This is called Protein Folding.
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Activities!
Click the links below to from the RCSB Protein Data Bank 101 learn how to fold your own proteins using paper. When you fold them correctly, they will be able to perform their function properly.